Railroad crossing gate



Jan. 19, 1932. C.STRACKBE1N 1,842,123

I RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Oct. 17. 1929 A M W Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHCE CONRAD STRACKBEIN, OF NORTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR F ONE-THIRD 'I'O JOHN F. MAERTZ, OF NORTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ONE-THIRD T0 JOE-IN N. BALTHAZARD AND ARTHUR KOWASKI, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Application filed October 17, 1929.

This invention relates to railroad crossing gates, and more particularly to a car actuated circuit closer for bringing about the automatic operation of the gates.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a railroad crossing gate, wherein the usual gate members are automatically low ered by an approaching train, and after the train has passed beyond the crossing, the

gates are automatically raised through suit able operating mechanism controlled by novel car actuated circuit closers forming the subject matter of this invention.

It is a well known fact that it is of considerable expense to maintain an operator at each railroad crossing for operating the closure gates for closing the crossing against pedestrians and vehicle travel, and, therefore, it is one of the main objects of my invention to provide means whereby the closure gates can be automatically operated by the train actuating my novel circuit closers, which control suitable mechanism for raising and lowering the gates.

A further and more specific object of my invention is the provision of novel train actuated circuit closers, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With the above and other objects iii-view,

' the invention consists in the novel features of construction, the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein;

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts thereof broken away and illustrated in cross section, of one of the switch members with a contact arm to be engaged by the train:

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating the switch member and contact arm adapted to be engaged by the train upon approaching the crossing; and,

a Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electric connection.

Referrin more particularly to the drawings,Where1n various reference characters ar used to designate the several parts throughout the views, it will be noted that in order ierial No. 400,315.

to operate the gates for lowering the same upon the approach of a train, I arrange at a suitable distance from the highway crossing, switch housings 3 and extending transversely through each housing is a shaft 4 upon which is mounted counter balance weight 5, and a cam member 6 formed with an offset shoulder 7. Upon the exterior of the housing 3 and connected to the shaft 4 is arm 8 which projects upwardly in the path of an approaching train and when eng ed by the train is moved downwardly 0 the left as shown in Figure 2, rotating the shaft 4, and simultaneously rotating the weight 5 and cam 6. The movement of the arm 8 downwardly will be sufficient to allow the shoulder 7 to pass the reciprocating rod 9 carried by the solenoid 10, and as the rod 9 moves upwardly it carries with it a pivoted arm 11 which has a contact 12 at its outer endto engage a contact 13 and completing a ci *cuit to a second solenoid 14:, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

As noted in Figure 2, the arm 11 is pivotally mounted upon a suitable bracket 15 at one side of the housing" 3 and this arm has a slot 16 formed in its intermediate portion to receive a pin 17 on the rod 9 whereby to permit free movement of the arm 11 upon its pivot.

It will be further noted from Figure 2, the" arm 8 is so constructed that it will move in one direction, to the right, without rotating the shaft 4 and in order to maintainthe arm 8 in a normal upright position for engagement by a train approaching a crossing, a curved arm 18 projects outwardly from one side thereof and is yieldably connected by means of a coil spring 19 to an ear 20 on the hub of the arm which is fixed to the shaft whereby a train engaging the arm 8 after leaving the crossing, or should the arm be e11- gaged by a train switching or moving against the arm in one direction, the arm can be moved to the right without moving the shaft 4, thus placing spring 1.9 under tension which 13 into engagement, a circuit to solenoid 14 is completed. This solenoid forms a part of the gate control mechanism, which will not be described or illustrated in this application, as the same forms a subject matter of another invention.

Referring to the diagrammatic view shown in Figure 3, it will be noted that when contact point 12 engages contact points 13, it closes the circuit'to the motor 44, thus starting the motor in operation, which motor also forms a part of the gate operating mechanism (not shown).

After the train has moved a sufficient distance beyond the highway crossing, it engages an upwardly projecting arm 89, connected to a rotative shaft '90, extending transversely of housing 91. Shaft 90 carries a'co'ntac't finger 92 adapted to be moved into engagement with the contact 93 for closing a circuit through the medium of switch member 94 and contacts 95 and 95, to solenoids "10 and 43, the solenoid 43 forming a part ofthe railroad gate raising mechanism (not shown),

Carried by shaft 90 is "a counter balance weight-96 which is adapted to be moved into position for retaining arm 89 to its upright position after the train has passed beyond housing-9150 that this 'arm 89 will always be in position to be engaged by a train passing the housing.

It will be noted that upon release'of the solenoid 10, the core rod 9 which has been urged upwardly by a'coil spring 97 will be returned to its normal operative position shown'in Figure 2, disengaging the outerend of'the ro'd9 from the shoulder 7 'whereby'the counter balance member 5 will return arm "8 to its normal upright position.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and durable form of circuit'close'rs, which'can' be readily actuated by a passing "train.

While T'h ave shown anddescribed th'e preferred-embodiment of my invention, it will be apparentthat slight changes may be made in theconstrnction when putting the invention practice without departing from the spirit of the same -or the scope'of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Ina car actuated circuit closer, a housing, a transverse shaft therein, a cam on the shaft having -'a shoulder portion, a solenoid having the outer-end of its core-bearing on the cam, a pivoted 'l'evercarried'by 'the hous ing andoperati'vely connected withthe core, anarm projecting vertically from the housing and adapted to be engaged by an object passing thereover for rotating'th'e shaft causing'rotation of the cam whereby the core of the solenoid will pass the shoulder portion imparting movement "to the lever, a contact carried by'the'lever, and'a stationary contact adapted to be engaged by the contact on the lever for completing a circuit.

2. In a car actuated circuit closer, a housing, a transverse shaft therein, a cam on the shaft having a. shoulder portion, a solenoid having the outer end of its core bearing on the cam, a pivoted lever carried by the housing having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends, a pin carried by t'he' core and engaged within said slot to connect the lever and core, an arm carried by the shaft and projecting "ertically from the housing and adapted to be engaged by an object passing thereovcr for rotating the shaft causing rotation of the cam whereby the core of the solenoid will pass the shoulder portion for imparting movement to the lover, a contact carried by the lever and a stationary contact carried by the housing and adapted to be engaged by the contact on the lever for completing a circuit.

In testimony that I claim the'foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and 'State of Wisconsin. A

CONRAD STRACKBEIN. 

